Blindsided
by Pinkarcade
Summary: Emilie was an artist before the particle accelerator exploded and left her life in ruins. Unable to live her previous life she decided to go after her parent's murderer with the help of Team Flash. Can Barry help heal her in more ways than one?
1. Chapter 1

**Blindsided**

 **AN: Rated M for motherfuckin' language.**

 **This was created while binge watching Daredevil, so a lot of inspiration was taken from it. My chapters are short and I'm working on being more chapter appropriate. The intro may also be a little slow-coming. Don't worry, Barry goodness is coming.**

 **Not Beta'd. Typos are my own.**

Chapter 1

The Red Sable brush gently dipped in the mocha paint. I hummed as I attempted to create the perfect shadow pigment. Brown, chocolate, more black. Shit that was too much. More brown. Less brown? Ughhh. Fucking stupid shadows. It's like they live to irritate me.

My life is complexity of color. Variants of the same shade but each uniquely their own. Each wanting to be found and displayed and given life.

My mother told me I was born a creative. Someone who sees life in all its fullness and is able to create the impossible and unimaginable from the inspiration of the possible.

My mother was a hippie.

But she wasn't wrong.

My life is defined by my imagination and the opportunity to bring the colors of my inner world to life.

And also complete and utter self-loathing as any good artist lives in.

I wiped the sweat off my brow and moved my face inches from the canvas inspecting the strokes and shading. Coffee. She needed coffee.

I quickly tucked stray strands of disobedient hair behind my ear and stowed my paintbrush into the pocket of my floral apron. I was sure coffee would clarify my shadow inequities. God damn shadows.

I slung my messenger back across my shoulder and breezed through the studio's glass doors.

It was a beautiful day in Central City. And a particularly busy day as well. STAR Labs was going to activate the particle accelerator tonight. Of which Emilie's current collection was based upon. Since the particle accelerator was going to expand the entire scientific world, it may as well expand the creative world as well.

But right now, nothing will be done without coffee.

I walked the couple of blocks from the studio to Jitters, grateful, once again, for prime real estate. Westminister wasn't the most glamorous of locales, but it was close to everything Emilie needed in life.

* * *

People watching was a very very satisfying past time of hers. i loved making up fanciful stories of the people I came across. Currently I was narrating an exciting unrequited love story between a tall man and a barista. Modern day Prince Charming.

"Look at me my love, everything I have done is for you." He shook his head and pleaded with his puppy dog eyes.

"Oh sir, you know I am bethroed. What will my fiancée say?"

"He needn't find out. Please, come away with me and my awkward smile and crazy hair."

The sound of crashing coffee cups brought me out of my day dream. A totally logical day dream. I smiled. She definitely needed a time away from those stupid chocolate-too-brown shadows.

I rested my forehead on the warm coffee cup letting its heat calm my nerves.

My gallery opening was just 2 days away. The thought made me melancholy. While it was the second time my work had been featured, my parents were unable to see either exhibition.

Not that her parents measured success by any conventional means. Her father was a painter and mother was a social-activism photographer, neither did any notable work for the creative community, but Emilie's world revolved around them and the great mode of expression she inherited.

They named her after a French painter and her father joked that had she been a photographer it would have blasphemed her name. Her mother said that was a patriarchal joke which oppressed her feministic expression. Emilie adored them. Their banter. Their love. How they valued her work from the stick figures of childhood to the more complex color theory from a very expensive fine art education. They, her parents, were how Emilie measured her success by.

Which made their death all the more devastating.

I sipped my coffee gingerly looking back on the star crossed lovers. Now I could at least find solace in the imagination that was cultivated by her parents. By creating the impossible, I was reconnected to them. I could pretend they weren't really gone. Just on another trip.

I finished her coffee and set it on the busing tray. Now time to destroy those fucking shadows.

* * *

I awoke to the sound a loud bang. Was it a bang? Or was it an earthquake? I ran to the window and looked out into the darkness. It was as if someone flipped the switch on Central City. There were no lights and a storm was raging that hadn't been there just a few hours before. The bustle of the day was gone and the few figures that were left were running and screaming for cover. I ran and unlocked the large studio doors to let a gathering of bystanders in.

"HERE! Come in here!" I yelled though the wind drowned out my words. I gestured frantically to get their attention. One of the women finally noticed Emilie and pulled the others towards the dark studio.

After they were safely inside I pushed the doors closed. The lock had jammed and I couldn't get the deadbolt to fasten.

Panic struck me. If this was an earth quake I needed to be in a doorway right? Or under a table? Regardless she needed to get away from the windows as fast as possible.

I screamed out my frustration and slammed my hands against the door. This was not happening right now! I had to get this door secure. A flash of lightning struck a nearby telephone pole and Emilie watched in terror as it fell into the glass of her studio windows. My scream of frustration turned into pain as heat enveloped me. I grabbed at my face and was met with shards of glass my hands turned into ribbons. I bent over trying to shield my body as everyone heard another loud crash and something heavy hit me in the stomach, throwing me against the wall.

Everything went black.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

 **AN: Thanks everyone for the great feedback! The next two chapters may be unnaturally short as they focus on recovery – chapter 4 and on will be back to average length. I will update these chapters within a week of each other then go back to 1 chapter a week** **J** **Thanks for reading!**

3 months Post-Particle Accelerator Explosion

Caitlyn was doing that thing again. That thing where she uses words with 10-syllabuls to describe something very simple.

"The foreign fragments that were lodged in your cornea have damaged your sight to near complete loss of visual acuity."

She does this pretty often. Usually when she's excited or upset. Her entire bedside manner goes out the door and instead you are subjected to a dictionary you can barely understand.

"English Caitlyn."

"What our dear Dr. Snow means to say," a kind voice from the door way began, "is that you are blind." Dr. Wells. My Caitlyn interpreter.

I laughed somberly. "Yes, I see that. Literally."

"No, I mean, your vision loss. It's permanent." She said softly.

I nodded. I knew this. I had given up all hope of seeing again no matter how many XRAYS and CT scans STAR Labs threw at me and hope they wanted me to have.

My entire world was gone. No light. No colors. Why even imagine anymore when that's only that it was. Imagination. Impossibility because my entire way of life was destroyed. My craft. My connection to my parents. It was all gone. I had nothing left. Bitter tears fell off my face and I tried to wipe them quickly.

After the particle accelerator blew up, Dr. Wells was at the same hospital as Emilie had been taken too. He had taken her and another patient to his labs for a more comprehensive care team. She believed it was a pre-emptive PR move. So many people died in the explosion that Dr. Wells needed to show that he was committed to doing good for the community and not just a mass murderer and mad scientist. Who better to help than two orphans, one of whom lost her livelihood and the other who was still in acoma.

"So what's the plans then doc?" I asked Caitlyn. So far my rehabilitation was limited to learning healing on a creaky hospital bed. Not only did the accident blind me, the car that ran into my studio, also hit me. I had been bed bound as my leg and ribs healed. 16 fractures Caitlyn had told me. 3 ribs, my femur, so many in my foot that had weird names I couldn't even begin to remember.

"We begin physical therapy and vision rehabilitation therapy. We get your leg strength back and will teach you how to use a cane and read braille. Dr. Wells has refurbished one of the spare lab rooms into a suite for you for however long you would like to stay with us."

I nodded trying not to let my mind wander. "Thank you Dr. Wells" I mumbled.

"No Emilie, I never want you to feel as if you need to thank me. I put you into this situation, it's the least I could do." His voice was louder, he must have moved closer to me while Caitlyn was talking. He was very kind and diplomatic but I couldn't feel lost when I heard his voice. This is the man who changed my life and not for the better.

I shut my eyes.

"I'm glad to have a place to stay. I will try not to outstay my welcome. If you don't mind, I think I am going to lay down now."

"Of course." Dr. Snow shuffled her paperwork and I heard her move to the doorway.

"Just let us know if there is anything you need. Anything at all." Dr. Wells finished.

"I will." I said. But I knew I wouldn't. A part of me, a not so little part, just wanted to lay in bed and not get up. I felt so alone. No family. No work. No imagination or life. No art.

I lay down and a sob escaped me and I clutched my stomach. I rolled onto my side and clenched my eyes shut. At least by closing my eyes I could, even for a small time, pretend the light was just on the other side of my eyelids, waiting for me to see it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

9 Months Post-Particle Accelerator Explosion

"Here's yesterday, last year-

Palm-spear and lily… distinct as

…. Flora in the… vast

Windless threadword of a

Tapestry…"

Emilie heard feet shuffling and the sway of a medical lab coat.

"Your braille reading is getting very good Emilie. I heard you from the hall." Dr. Snow said cheerfully.

"Thank you. This book of poems has been so great to read. I'm very glad to have it translated into braille." Dr. Wells had surprised her with her favorite book of poems nearly 3 months ago and she had taken to it quickly. It was much better than the scientific journals they had given her to practice. When she said told them transmutation articles were not really her favorite reading material, Cisco had acted as if I was a personal offence.

"We can get you any book you'd like when you tire of it." I heard the smile in her voice. Caitlyn has been my favorite part of the past 9 months. While I never had a sister, I'd like to imagine that Caitlyn would be doing what sisters do. She has cared for me, taught me how to read and have some sort of semblance of life even if it was just in the confined walls of STAR Labs. "I'm sure Barry would be equally as grateful for a change of reading material."

I laughed. My comatose friend has been on the receiving end of my braille lessons for a long while. I had overheard Cisco and Caitlyn arguing about auditory functions and how they are the last thing to degenerate while in a coma and they agreed that reading to him was a great idea. I am sure that they are regretting that now.

Stumbling footsteps interrupted us. "Hey there Emmy!" Cisco walked up to Barry's bed and squeezed my shoulders. "Reading more Plath to our friend?"

"You know me. Depressing literature at its best."

Cisco laughed. "You brighten up our day. If our day was on suicide watch."

"Haha, very funny. I think Barry likes it."

"Yea, you keep telling yourself that." There was some jostling of papers and Lady Gaga started playing and I moaned.

"Seriously?"

"Now this Barry likes. I saw it on his facebook."

I shook my head and was about to get up when Barry suddenly leaped up and I was roughly thrown away from his side, "Where am I?" I heard the frantic pulling of wires and Caitlyn and Cisco pushed past me to get closer to him.

"Dr. Wells, get down to the cortex, like right now!" Cisco yelled into one of the coms.

"110, pulse over 120. Pupils equally reactive to light."

I walked over to the wall where I had left my cane. I stood by the doorway unsure of what to do or where to go, feeling completely out of place.

"I need you to urinate in this." Caitlyn was speaking so fast I was worried Barry wouldn't be able to follow her train of thought.

"Not this second." Cisco intervened.

Barry was frantic, "What is happening? What is going on?"

"You were struck by lightning dude."

A brief pause then, "Lightening gave me abs?"

I laughed. "Why does he get abs?"

No one answered. I coughed, "Yea, never mind."

"Your muscles should be atrophied but instead they're in a chronic and unexplained state of cellular regeneration. You were in a coma."

Barry took a sharp intake of breath, "For how long?"

"Nine months." I said softly.

"Welcome back, Mister Allen." The familiar hum of Dr. Wells motorized wheel chair entered the room.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Intro completed. Thank you for bearing with me for the precursor for this fanfic. While I have never been a long winded writer, and don't expect 3,000 word chapters, they will be a more acceptable length from here out** **J**

 **Rated M: For mother fuckin' language.**

Chapter 4

A soft knock rattled the steel door of the studio Dr. Wells had renovated. She looked at where the noise originated from and called out, "you can come in Caitlyn."

The door opened softly and the click-clack of high heels entered the foyer. "How do you always know who it is?" She said politely.

Emilie laughed. "Unless you've hired another woman on the team or Cisco is moonlighting as a drag queen, I'm fairly certain your heels give it away."

She chuckled and Emilie felt her sit on the couch close to her. "You left so quickly, I wanted to check to see if you were alright."

Emilie let out a sigh. Was she alright? How can Emilie explain how her world had turned upside down without seeming completely self-centered? Barry woke up! Today should be a day of celebration but she couldn't help but feel that it's the beginning of the end of her time here at STAR Labs. As long as Barry had been in a coma, Emilie had felt like just another patient. Her place, firmly rooted, her therapy a scheduled and longsuffering event. Now… she was alone. Abandoned, albeit inadvertently, and perhaps she was now imposing. And if she was not imposing today, when would she be? Tomorrow? Next week? How much longer could STAR Labs focus on her rehabilitation when she was the sole patient?

For whatever reason, Dr. Wells has worked hard to take care of Barry and Emilie. How hard will he work when it's just Emilie?

"Yes… I'm fine Caitlyn. I just felt very out of sorts. You all are the professionals, I would just be in the way as you helped Barry so I wanted to give you all space."

"No no!", Caitlyn put her hand on Emilies. "Please don't feel that way." She urged. "You are very important to our team."

"Caitlyn, I'm not on your team. I'm your patient remember?"

"Yes, but that doesn't make you less important." She paused, "Hey, why don't we go to Jitters and get a coffee? A little liquid caffeine sounds pretty good right about now."

"What about Barry?" Emilie lightly touched the tablet next to her reading the time displayed on the braille surface, it had only been an hour since he woke up, she was sure Caitlyn had a million tests she would rather be doing. Barry was like a Christmas present that came early. Medically speaking.

"Well, Barry left."

Emilie's jaw slacked open. "What do you mean left? He just woke up!"

She took her hand away and Emilie heard her smoothing out her dress. "Yes well, he was very insistent. Help me take my mind off the fact that a man who was in a coma for 9 months got up and walked out of my clinic?"

Emilie laughed. "Well, when you put it that way." She put down her book and tablet and grabbed her cane, "Let's refuel."

But things did change. Over the next few weeks rehabilitation sessions were cut short or cancelled completely. Caitlyn and Cisco became increasingly distant and preoccupied while even Dr. Wells would disappear for long periods of time.

After a while Emilie just stopped going to sessions all together. She would order her meals in her suite and keep up on current events with her tablet. She started making small trips outside to Jitters, testing out the limitations of her cane and rehabilitation. Small achievements felt monumental and she took solace that Cisco and Caitlyn had helped her enough to feel confident in her limited independence.

The warmth of Central City hit her face as soon as she walked out of STAR Labs. She was excited for her daily trip to Jitters and leaving the stale laboratory confines. At first Caitlyn had insisted she take her with her on these short excursions but it didn't take long for Caitlyn to realize Emilie was at least able to do this small task solo.

It was an easy enough trek. Three blocks north, two lights, turn right, one stop sign the 26 paces to the door. She was never an analytical thinker, she rather enjoyed spontaneity and taking problems as they came but that method no longer worked. She relied on her memorization and qualifying problems before they happened. She wouldn't even have recognized herself a year ago.

Emilie paused as she opened the door to Jitters. The aroma of coffee came pouring out of the café and she almost sighed, she loved this place. She walked over to her favorite window-side table and waited for her favorite barista to notice her. Having known Emilie before the accident, many of the barista's went out of their way to accommodate her blindness. After a few incidents of Emilie hitting customers with her cane, they had asked her to find a table and they would personally serve her. While she felt embarrassed at first, she was ultimately grateful for their hospitality and she was sure the other patrons were just glad she wasn't hitting them anymore.

"And how's my favorite blind woman today?" A chipper voice asked from behind Emilie.

Emilie smiled and laughed softly, "Do you even know any other blind people Iris?"

"Well, no, but even if I did, you would be my favorite!"

"I'm good. Today will be a good day. I feel it."

This time it was Iris' turn to laugh. "That's just because you can't see. It looks like a storm's coming out there!"

"Oh really? Well better make my order to go then, I don't want to try navigating home in the rain."

"You got it Em." Iris squeezed her shoulder and went to get Emilie's usual white chocolate mocha.

It had only been a few minutes when the air started to get thick and wind began to ruffle Emilie's hair. Did someone leave the door opened? She hear a loud scream and was roughly pushed over by someone running past. What was going on? "Iris?" She yelled cautiously. "Iris?" Again after she didn't answer the first time.

A large body pushed Emilie to the ground though she had barely gotten up from the previous incident and she anxiously searched for her cane that was separated from. "IRIS?!" Panic clawed at Emilie and she felt her insides tighten.

Her voice sounded miles away but Emilie heard Iris yell out her name. The wind became unbearable and navigating through the storm seemed impossible. Storm? She was still inside Jitters right? None of this made any sense!

She found her cane and walked over to where she knew the counter would be. "Iris?" She was searching her surroundings with her left hand and using the cane with her right, the air became so thick she started to have trouble breathing. A series of coughs spasmed out of her chest as she tried to regain her composure. "IRIS?" It was getting harder to breathe and she began choking back tears of panic. Even without her sight, she had never felt so alone and vulnerable as she did in that moment. In the safe confines of STAR Labs, Emilie had become accustom to her blindness and the predictability Caitlyn and Cisco offered. This was different. This was unfamiliar. Unfamiliar and dangerous.

When sounds of heavy footsteps echoed in front of her, she quickly reached out splaying her fingers to grab on to whomever was coming. A pair of rough hands grabbed her painfully by the shoulders and lifted her up. She let out a surprised gasp and tried to kick herself free.

"Looks like today is my lucky day." A gruff voice whispered in her ear.


End file.
